Anyone
who has lived Landscape Design in Gulf Shores, AL for even a short while knows this: our yards do
not behave like the ones you see in glossy magazines. Frankly, that’s not a bad
thing at all. Here, landscape design is a matter of harmonizing with nature
rather than constantly striving for perfection and waging war against nature.
Oasis
Irrigation Hardscapes is a company where we walk around real backyards every
day, backyards with patches of sand, corners where water collects after summer
storms, and places where the grass just refuses to grow. We have learnt a great
deal from our neighbors and most of these lessons have been outside the pages
of a landscape design book. They are the results of conversations, trial and
error, and observation of how the landscapes in Gulf Shores, AL change with
time.
Gulf Shores Yards We See Every Day Are Not
“Blank Slates”
One
of the very first things we typically discuss with home owners is this: your
yard already has a character. The sandy soil, the salt in the air, the way
water runs over the property during a kind of storm—all these are elements of
an ongoing story.
In
Gulf Shores, sandy soil drains very fast in some areas and keeps water very
tightly in others. If to that is added sudden heavy rains, tropical storms, and
continuous weeks of very high humidity, you get a landscape that demands a bit
of reverence. We have seen owners trying to replicate the designs of their
gardens in inland Alabama or even further north, only to be very disappointed
when their plants refuse to thrive or their hardscaping is shifting earlier
than expected.
That
is why, here, copying a design that “worked somewhere else” may bring you more
problems than joy. The coastal conditions call for changes and solutions, and
landscape design in Gulf Shores should start from this fact.
A Conversation We Have With Homeowners All the
Time
We
hear this phrase all the time, usually right at the beginning of the
conversation:
“We
want it to look nice—but we don’t want to baby it.”
And
indeed, it is a reasonable demand. Most people are not interested in winning
yard-of-the-year awards. What they desire is a place that is inviting, that
withstands summer storms, and that does not necessitate constant upkeep just to
be presentable.
One
of the things that we have understood is that it is really crucial to agree on
the expectations from the get go. On the one hand, a landscape may be very rich
and dynamic but it can also need very much attention. On the other hand, the
less complicated the design is along with the right combination of plants and
other materials, the more the place looks good in the long term and causes far
less tension and stress. When the homeowners understand the compromise between
these two things right from the start, their future happiness is almost
guaranteed to be better.
Designing Around How Gulf Shores Families
Actually Use Their Yards
One
thing Pinterest never shows you? How people actually live in their yards.
In
Gulf Shores, homes’ outdoor areas get very much used – you can expect there to
be barbecue parties at the weekends, children running barefoot, dogs causing
their owners trouble when digging, neighbors dropping by after the sunset etc.
We have found that fine landscape design begins with taking note of such
things.
For
instance, it is quite obvious to us that people’s choice of a stay-place is
mostly automatically motivated by the desire of being in a fresh air and under
a tree-provided shade. That is more real and true than any of the drawings and
illustrations. Whenever a footpath is used and walked on several times, a paw
prints-path is made equally. Areas with the highest traffic would be the ones
where the grass is worn out lastly under people’s feet. By designing around
such patterns, not opposing them, the place becomes more natural and not
forced.
And
the thing that almost everyone agrees is that the shade in the house-front
plays a huge part. If we arrange our snuggling spots well, then we don’t have
to talk about heating because, the cooling of the yard is taken care of by
nature itself (that is through plants’ shade and the general plan). And we can
say that we get to enjoy our front yard, go out and stay there, instead of just
admiring it through the window.
What Tends to Work Best in Landscape Design in
Gulf Shores, AL
Gradually,
it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore certain recurrent patterns.
Plants
that are native and adapted to coastal environment are, of course, the winners.
They naturally cope with exposure to salt, heat and heavy rain. Those home
owners who are inclined to focus on such choices are actually the ones that do
not spend much time in replacing plants but have a lot of time to enjoy their
gardens.
And
it is the same with hardscaping. The materials are the first ones to suffer
from the impact of the coastal climate. We have witnessed the aftermath of
improper products use- the top layer gets cracked, the shifts of the paving
stones is evident and discoloration fades in too quickly and the list goes on.
Changing of the seasons and the climate of the area are the factors to be
considered. Materials that are compatible with movement and provide for
drainage are the ones to stand the test of time in our environment.
You
don’t necessarily have to go for the flashiest option. It is more about
choosing what is sensible for your place of residence.
Small Design Decisions That Make a Big
Difference Over Time
Some
of the most important landscape design choices don’t stand out at first glance.
Drainage
is by far the most important one. It would be a big mistake indeed to think of
drainage as a secondary matter in the context of Gulf Shores. One has to admit
that sometimes it is quite easy to overlook such detail as gardens’ expansion
because engraining drainage into the design at the very beginning will help you
avoid bigger problems in the future such as, erosion, accumulation of stagnant
water and damage to paved up areas.
Another
advantage is the need for a growth area. The plants are, of course, not going
to stop growing just because they are installed in a garden you maintain. We
have seen landscapes which were absolutely perfect and harmonious if only year
one were taken into account but by year three it was too crowded because nobody
thought about growth. When the gardener sets aside such a “future space” then
he makes it not only easier to maintain his/her garden but he/she also then has
a more comfortable yard to live in for a very long time.
What We Wish More Homeowners Knew Before
Starting a Landscape Design Project
There
is this one thing that we would have loved to see most neighbors come clear and
understand—it is that they don’t have to do all at once.
Some
of the most amazing landscapes the staff at the district has had an opportunity
of witnessing were in fact staged and phased in as done step-by-step. First and
foremost a strong foundation, then over time the envisaged additions, and thus
the approach results in wiser decisions than one can be burdened with regrets.
We
have also realized lately, second is that good design in fact feels natural.
When a garden becomes the extension of the home, the neighborhood and the
environment, it doesn’t have to scream for attention—it just feels right. Most
outdoor areas that are a success are those which manage to conjure up an
impression of a very effortless blending.
Why Landscape Design in Gulf Shores Is as Much
About Listening as Building
In
essence, landscape design goes way further than just plants and materials one
might use. We cannot deny that it is about giving our full concern— to the
earth, the climate, and the inhabitants.
Each
Gulf Shores garden has its unique story, which, sometimes, can be the mark of
the nature’s fury or family yielding to their instinct to gather together or
learning by trial and error how to landscape their yard. When one just stops
for a minute and gives heed to such stories, the design actually just comes.
It
is the tough coastlines most influenced by sandy soil, salty air, summer heat,
and the way people live their outdoor lives that ultimately dictate the layout
and, thus, the very best landscapes GOT to be ones that are NOT COPY from a
certain trend.
And
frankly, that is landscape design in Gulf Shores, AL for you. It is never a
one-size-fits-all and don’t stay exactly the same. Just like the community
itself, it’s always changing—and that is the beauty of it.
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